Studio and Gallery in Bristol
Studio and Gallery in Bristol
Gallery frontage
I open the gallery 3 days a week (11.30 - 4.30 Wednesday to Friday), and the rest of the time I work in the privacy of the studio. One of the reasons I fell in love with it was the courtyard garden - surprisingly large and yet secluded, considering it is right in the centre of the city. There is a back door from the studio to the garden, so I can sit and work while watching the wildlife outside.
Christmas Steps is a very unusual and special place. It is a fascinating area, dating back to the 1600's. A stone plaque at the top states that this ancient street was 'Steppered Done and Finished September 1669'. It was once called 'Lonsford Steps', after the Royalist Colonel Henry Lonsford, who died here in 1643 during the Civil War.
It is also famous for it's many creative businesses and independent shops, and there are many excellent restaurants, bars and cafes. I was surprised to find that many people live there, above the shops, and there is a welcoming and thriving community of people, who take great pride in the area.